Turkey Oak

Quercus laevis

The Turkey Oak is one of the characteristic hardwoods associated with the pines in dry habitats over much of Florida. It is abundant on sandy ridges, sand-hills, and dry hammocks throughout the state, although it is rare south of Lake Okeechobee. It is usually 20 to 30 feet high at maturity, but sometimes reaches a height of 60 feet, with a trunk one to two feet in diameter. In particularly harsh habitats, it is stunted and scrubby. Its branches form an open, irregular but generally round-topped crown.

Alternate leaves are deeply divided into three, five, or seven lobes, at more or less right angles with the midvein. The leaves average about five inches long as well as wide. They are thick and rigid, with prominent veins, bright yellow-green and lustrous above, paler and somewhat downy on the undersurface.

The acorn is light brown, an inch long and three-fourths of an inch broad. It has an oval shape, full and rounded at both ends, and is enclosed for about one-third of its length in a thin, light red-brown cup.

Wood of the Turkey Oak is heavy, hard, strong, rather close-grained and light brown in color, tinged with red. It has been used for fuel, lumber, and general construction.

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Tree information provided with permission of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for more information visit https://www.fdacs.gov/.